Display-rack.



B. C. SCHAFFER.

DISPLAY RACK.

APPLICATION FILED APR- 29. 1914.

Patented Jan. 2,1917. 3 SHEETSSHEET l.

A TTORNEYS B. C. SCHAFFER.

DISPLAY RACK. APPLICATION fILE APR-29 1,914.

Patented Jan. 2,1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Inn/5mm? ATTORNEYS f' UNITED STATES ammo c. scnnrrna, ornnnnvwoon, KARSAS.

- a citizen of'the United PATENT OFFICE.

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I Specification of Letters Patent.

-- a Application filed April 29,- 1914; Serial m. 835,129.

To all Mam it may concern I Be .it known. that I BENNO SoHAFrER,

States, and a'resident V of Ellinwood, in the county of Barton and State of Kansas, have invented a new'and Improved Display-Rack, 'of' which the. following isa full, clear, and exactdescription.

My inventionrelat'es to display racks in which thearticle's displayed are movable .so that the same can be brought to a predetermined place. 4 g

The invention has reference moreparticll- 'larly to racks forrolled screen fabrics.

An object ofthe invention is to provide a simple, strong, convenient and inexpensive rack from which any amount of the fabric positioned in the rack can. be easily and quickly dispensed. MI attain 'these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification, in which similar characters of Alining sprockets 8 and 9 are mounted on the shafts 4 and 5. Endless chains 10 engage the alining sprockets 8 and 9. Each of the chains is provided with links 11 having a lateral extension 12. Secured to each of the extensions 12 is an annular member 13 provided with. a gap 14 diametrically opposite the place where the annular member 13 is secured to the extension. Carried by each pair of the alining, annular members 13 is a sleeve 15 open laterally at 16, the edges of the opening being turned up, as shown at 17, to engage the edges of the annular member 13 forming the gap, whereby said sleeve is' rigidly secured thereto The'turned edges 17 of the sleeve form a smooth, lateral' outlet therefrom. The sleeves form casings for the rolls of screen fabric. It will be noted that when the sleeves 15 receive the rolls of screen fabric,

the load is supported by the shaft 4; and to prevent the lagging of same, the hangers 6 are bridged by a 'U-shaped member 18 on which an adjustablesupport 19 is provided .hangers 6. V

To prevent the movement of the shaft when the fabric is handled within the.

also provided with agear 23 meshin Patented Jan. 2, 1917.

and which carries a bearing 20 engaged by if the shaft 4 substantially midway of the v sleeves 15, the shaft 5 is provided witha double ratchet. wheel 21 mounted on the ro ecting end of the shaft 5, which double.

ratchet is engaged by two. gravitationally operated pawls 22 pivoted on the frame of the machine, and preventing the rotation of the shaft 5 in either direction by the engagement of the double ratchet. The shaft 5:is with apinion 24, which pinion may be actuated by a crank 25. By means of the crank 25 the endless chain: 10 can be moved, thus changing the relative positions of. the sleeves with the shafts 4 and 5; but, before the chain can be moved in -'a desired direction, a pawl 22.

must be disengaged from the'ratchet. r

The frame 7 [is provided with an extension 26 engaged by a transverse member. 27

forming a table for the frame, the table having a curved upper face. A bracketv28 is mounted on the extension 26 adjacent the table 27. A measuring device 30 is mounted to slide and float on the bar 29 of the bracket. The measuring wheel 31 of the measuring device' is exactly opposite the table 27 and is adapted to register with notches 32 provided inthe table 27 for that purpose. The registration between the measuring wheel 31 and the 'notches 32 is obtained by providing notches 33 in the bar 29 of the bracket 28 to be engaged by a spring-operable latch 34 carried by an arm 35 of the measuring device which connects the same to the bracket 28. The reason for providing more than one notch 32 and 33 .is

that the fabrics carried by the sleeves 15 may be of different widths and positioned at difi'erent' ends of said sleeves.

For dispensing the fabric, the following arrangement is employed: The extension 26 of the frame at each side thereof is provided with stub shafts 36 and 37. The shaft 37, at its outer end,'is provided with a crank 38 whereby the same may be turned; and, at the inner end, is provided with a: yoke member 39 to'which is hinged a U-shapedmember 40, the open ends of'the'U being removably engaged by a yoke 41 carried by v the stub-shaft 36. The engagement of the yoke 41 with the end of the U-shaped member 40 is maintaine'd .by. a.pivoted handle, 42

' claim as new and desire to secure by tensions,

. normally project out which is pressed against the shaft 36 by a coil spring 43. When the handle 42 is moved away from the frame, the stub-shaft 36 is moved therewith, and thus the U- shaped member 40 is disengaged from the yoke 41. Lateral slots 44 provided in the yoke 41 facilitate the engagement of the ends of the U-shaped member 40 with the yoke 41. The member 40 is preferably made of resilient material, so that the ends thereof tend'to spread when they are disengaged from the yoke 41. By means of this U- shaped member 40 any desired amount of screen fabric can be unwound from a roll of fabric located within any of the sleeves 15. This is done as follows: The edges of all the fabrics located within the sleeves 15 of the lateral opening 16, and the desired edge is brought to the table by disengaging the proper pawl and turning the crank 25. The edge of the fabric is then pulled from the table 27 and bent between the arms of the U-shaped member. 'The crank 38 can then be turned so as to cause the fabric to wind on the said U-shaped member. Previous to winding the fabric by means of the crank 38, the measurer is placed in proper position so as to register the amount of fabric wound on the U-shaped member. After the desired amount has been Wound thereon, the same can be severed by any suitable means.

The sleeves 15 are preferably of maximum length, i. e., adapted to receive the longest rolls offabric made. The shorter rolls can be arranged in pairs Within each of the sleeves 15 so that the combined lengthwill not be greater than the length of the sleeve.

It is self-evident that in place of providing sleeves 15, Which form casings for receiving the rolls of screen fabric, any other casing of any suitable shape may be carried by the endless chains 10, and diflerent fabrics may be displayed in the rack described. As,

chains engaging the sald sprockets, a plufor example, the endless chain may carry casings for cloth and the same may be dispensed similarly as described with reference to the screen fabric.

While the drawing discloses the two shafts 4 and 5 preferably in vertical alinement, the same may be placed so that the endless chains 10 will be oblique. By the provision of the double ratchet wheels 21 and the two pawls 22 any desired fabric can be brought ,to the table 27 by the shorter way, as by means of these two pawls the chains may be moved in either direction.

Having thus described my lIlVBlltlOIili I ters Patent:

1. In a display rack, the combination of endless'chains mounted to move, sundry of the links of said chains having lateral exannular members secured directly to said extensions and having gaps, laterally opened sleeves carried by said annular members and adapted to receive fabric and display the same, the said annular members having outwardly bent ends at the gaps, the ends of said sleeves at the openings being bent to receive and clamp the said endsof the annular members to rigidly secure the sleeves to said members, means adapted to dispense the fabric from any of the sleeves, means for bringing any of the sleeves in operative relation to said means for dispensing the fabric, means for normally locking the chains.against movement whereby the desired sleeve is maintained in cooperative relation with said dispensing means, and a table between the said sleeve and the dispensing means .over which the material is drawn.

2. In a display rack, the combination of a pair of horizontal shafts, chains carried by said shafts, the chains having links provided at one side with lateral extensions, annular bands secured directly to said extensions and provided with gaps, the said annular bands having outwardly bent ends at the gaps, laterally opened sleeves carried by said annular bands, said sleeves forming carrying cases for fabrics and adapted to display the same, the edges of the o enings of said sleeves being turned u to t over the said ends of the annular ands at the gaps to secure the sleeves rigidly to said bands, means for dispensing the fabric from. the sleeves, means for rotating one of said shafts whereby any one of the sleeves may be brought into cooperative relation with said dispensing means, and means for normally preventing the rotation of said shaft.

3. In a display rack, a pair of parallel substantially horizontal shafts arranged one above the other, hangers in which the upper shaft is adjustably mounted, a fixed frame in which the lower shaft is mounted, sprockets mounted on the said shafts, endless rality of means carried b said chains for carrying and displaying abrics, the upper shaft supporting the load carried by said means a member bridging the saidhangers, an adjustable support on said member carrying a bearing engaged by said upper shaft, means for rotating the lower shaft to move the said chains, means for normally preventing the rotation of said shaft in either direction, and a dispensing mechanism for dispensing the fabric from any of said fabric carrying means.

4. In a display'rack, a pair of horizontally disposed shafts arranged one above the other, means in which the ends of the upper shaft are adjustably mounted, a frame in which the lower shaft ismounted, endless members carried by said shafts, a plurality of means carried by said endless members for carrying and displaying fabrics, the upper shaft supporting the load carried by said means, an adjustable support for the upper shaft substantially midway between its ends, means for. rotating the lower shaft to move the said endless members, means for normally preventing the rotation of said shaft in either direction, and a dis ensing mechanism for dispensing the fabric from any one of saidfabric carrying means.

5. In a display rack, a pair of horizontally disposed shafts arranged one above the other, hangers in which the ends of the upper shaft are adjustably mounted, a fixed frame in which the lower shaft is mounted, sprockets mounted on .said shafts, endless chains engaging the said sprockets, means carried by the'chains for carrying and displaying fabrics, the upper shaft supporting the load carried by said means, a U-shaped member bridging the said hangers, an adjustable support on said member, a bearing carried by said support and engaged by the upper shaft substantially midway of the said hangers, means for rotating the lower shaft to move the said chains and the fabric carrying means, and a dispensing mechanism for dispensing the fabric from said means.

, In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of 30 two subscribing witnesses BENNO C. SCHAFFER.

Witnesses:

WINNIE BooKEMoHLE, CHAS. MELLIES. 

